Electric flat-iron and conductor.



No. 888,843. PATENTBD MAY 2C, 1908..

P. E. CSWAL'D.

Y ELECTRIC. FLAT IRON AND CONDUCTOR.

APPLIOLTION FILED IAB-14. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- PATENTED MAY 26, 1908. P. E. OSWALD.

ELECTRIC PLAT IRON AND CONDUCTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1413.14. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i C ff y frequently happens that in this construction4 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL E. OSWALD, L'OS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PAUL E. OswALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, btate of Cahfornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Flat-Irons and Conductors Therefor, of which the following is a specification. s

Heretofore in the construction of electric flat irons'it has been customary 'to inclose the conductor within a case havin a very thin bottom with but little metal etween the smoothing surface -of the iron and the conductor so that the iron would become quickly heated on its smoothing surface. It

the smoothing surface becomes overheat'ed and when the current is ofi it quickly cools. Conductors have been used which are subject to being burned out.

It is one of the objects of my invention to produce an iron in which there is a considerable uantity of metal integral with the smoot ing surface and to inclose the electric conductor' in a vertical channel near the outer edge of the iron and insulated therefrom by. a layer of heat resisting material Which is a non-conductor and is molded to fit the conductor, and which willA protect the conductor a ainst undue strain, and which can be hand ed with the conductor.

Another object of my invention is to produce a conductor of high resistance, of cheap material, of great uniformity, of but little bulk, and which will not burn out.

I accomplish these objects by the iron described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1- is a central longitudinal section of the top caseoru perportion of the iron, the body of the iron ein shown partly in central section and partly in elevation 4with a ortion ofthe conductor shownin elevation.

ig. 2 is a plan with the top case removed. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 4- is a cross section on the line 4-4 Fig. 1. Fig.. 5- is a fragment of the conductor.

i In the drawings 6 is the body of the iron,

the bottom of which `forms the smoothing or ironing surface. The smoothing surface projects beyond the main body and is rather thin in this projecting edge, which I will call ledge 7,v upon which rests a washer of asbestos 8 or other electric and heat insulating material. This washer exteriorly is of the Bpecication of Lettera Patent. Appleman med umn 14, 1907. sum No. 362,276.

'ELECTRIC FLAT-IRON AND CNDUCTOR.

Patented Hay 26, 1908.

configuration of theledge and interiorly lits the body of the iron. Above this Washer and surrounding the body of the iron is a lthin layer of insulatin material 9, which is preferably a sheet o mica. Surrounding the mica is the conductor 10 which is preferably formed of compressed aphite. This conductor is formed 1n the fol owing manner; the graphite or other material is mixed with liquid parain or other volatile material to form a plastic mass.l It is then put under i pressure to squeeze out as much of the paraffin asis practical. It is then put into a mold ofthe configuration to iit into the device in which it is to be used. In the iron it fits around the sheet of mica on the body of the iron, and is formed into a thin ribbon having staggered slits 11 therein extending from o posite sides, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

e ribbon may then be put into an oven and the paraffin burned out, or it may be burned out in any other manner. This leaves the conductor avery compact and hard ribbon. Where a very'great pressure, say 1,000 pounds or more to the square inch, is used parailn or other volatile material may be omitted. The slits may then be filled with a plastic insulating compound and when dry the ribbon is ready for use. It is then placed in osition around the sheet of mica. It will e observed that the ribbon is not continuous but the ends thereof are slightly separated at the rear end of the iron, and each end is provided Witha metallic contact strip 12, 'the u per ends of which project above the top of the ribbon and are slightly resilient and are insulated from the body. A `continuous vertical Washer of insulating and heat resisting material 13 is then laced around the conductor, and the top o the same and the parts" which it sur, rounds is covered with a sheet of asbestos 14 or other heat and electric insulating material. The top case 15 is then secured to the body by means of screws 16 and 17, the one nearest thc front of the iron being counter-sunk so as to leave the to at this point smooth. At the rear end o the top case, and preferably cast integral therewith, is a standard 18 to which the handle 19 is fastened by bolt 20. To the rear end of the top case are secured the contact posts 21 for the reception of the wiring plug which connects the iron to the source of electrical cover. The' lower end of these contact posts the upper ends of the contact strips prefer after the conductor ribbon has been compressedv t9 put it into a mold of a.

l'be pressed so that it will enter the interstices in the ribbon. The ribbon and Washercan then be ut into an oven andthe Washer dried an the para'l'lin burned out ofthe ribbon thereby making a closer contact between the ribbon and washerthan if formed separately.

Having claim is:

1. An electric lHat iron having a vertical channel around .the edge thereof, and an insulated compressed graphite conductor in said channel.

2. kAn electric Hat iron having a vertical described my invention what I channel around the edge thereof, an insulated compressed graphite conductor in said channel; and a heat insulating vertical Washer in said channel exterior said con'- ductor. f 3. An electric flat iron comprising a body havin a ledge at the bottom thereof, a heat and e ectric insulating Washer on said ledge a sheet of insulating material above said washer and around said body, a compressed graphite ribbon having stagered slits in its opposite sides exterior sai insulatin material, contacts secured to the'ends o said ribbon', heat and electric insulating material exterior said ribbon and within said slits, heat and electric insulating material upon said bod and conductor, a cover for said body an conductor having ahandle secured thereto and contact posts secured to and insulated from the cover and engaging the contacts secured to the conductor.

In Witness that I claim the fore oing I have hereunto subscribed my name t is 6th day of March, 1907.

PAUL E. OSWALD. Witnesses: f

G. E. HARPHAM, S. B. AUSTIN. 

